Tag Archives: h+uo architects

The Blackland Neighborhood is hosting a block party to celebrate its 30 year anniversary of community accomplishments. The celebration will take place on Saturday August 10, 2013 from 4:00pm-7:00pm, open to all. Attendees can expect food, kid activities, and an opportunity to mingle with others in the community. h+uo architects will also be in attendance.

Fannie Mae Stewart Village Rendering

The block party will also celebrate the recent development of the Fannie Mae Stewart Village, which is close to completion. Located on the 1900 block on East 22nd Street, the Fannie Mae Stewart Village includes an 8-unit apartment complex along with a transformed bungalow into a community conservatory. The Blackland Neighborhood has a history of suffering from disinvestment and predatory real estate speculation. This new addition was designed by h+uo architects and is part of an ongoing effort to maintain affordable housing in the neighborhood and in the city of Austin. Blackland Community Development Corporation was formed in 1983, right before it acquired a lot at 1904 East 22nd from an African-American maid, Fannie Mae Stewart.

About Blackland Community Development Corporation

The Blackland Community Development Corporation (BCDC) was incorporated in August 1983 as a non-profit, 501-C-3 corporation in the state of Texas. The boundaries of the Blackland Neighborhood are Comal Street on the west, Chestnut Avenue on the east, MLK Boulevard on the south, and Manor Road on the north.

Blackland CDC has built, maintains and leases 47 units for households earning less than 60 percent of the median income for Austin, most of which have been designed by Tom Hatch and his family of architects. Because affordable rental units are disappearing from the inner city, CDC does not sell units, knowing that in time they would likely sell to higher income families and would only delay gentrification.

It may be hard to believe, but East Austin intersection 12th and Chicon used to be a flourishing artistic, cultural, and commercial hub enjoyed by Austin’s African-American community. It was home to the Harlem Theater, which was greatly enjoyed by its African American neighbors. Today this area is notoriously known by Austinites as an area of drug-dealing, theft, and prostitution. The Harlem Theater is long gone and the only historic live music venue that remains in this area is the famous Victory Grill, built in 1945.

In an effort to bring this historic area back to life, the Chestnut Neighborhood Development Corporation selected h+uo architects to help revitalize this area into a thriving healthy neighborhood once again. Chicon Corridor is a mixed use project that will include 9,000 square feet of local retail and office spaces on the ground floor with affordable occupied housing on the 2nd and 3rd floors. While the development includes contemporary forms, the design of the project still honors the rich cultural heritage of the area. The project will be located on Chicon between 13th and 14th Streets.

h+uo is currently waiting on receiving variances from the city, and is expected to break ground by the end of 2013.

We have just received notification that one of our newly completed residential projects has been selected for this year’s AIA Homes Tour!  

As part of the selection process, a large group of AIA committee members visited the East Austin residence and adjoining gardens, known as HausBar Farms and owned by Dorsey Barger and Susan Hausmann.  Principal partner, Tom Hatch, and architect, Kelly Stephenson represented h+uoat the site visit. Tom shared some early concept sketches and Kelly discussed the highlights of design as well as the owners’ dedication to realizing their dream of running a completely sustainable urban farm. Congregating in the fully- equipped outdoor kitchen, committee members provided lots of positive feedback on the flow of the floor plan and the strong connection between indoor and outdoor living spaces. Afterward, they had a great time meeting some of the animals such as Gustavo the goose and Julian and Rosie, the resident donkeys.

The 2013 AIA Homes Tour will take place November 2-3, 2013.  Each year the tour showcases new and newly-renovated homes designed by talented Austin architects.   For more information about the AIA Homes Tour, visit http://www.aiahomestour.com/

The Clarksville neighborhood has a long history dating back to the slavery days. Governor Elisha Pease’s plantation and nearby slave quarters resided in this area. In 1865 after emancipation, Pease gave land in the Clarksville area to some of his favorite former slaves and sold land to others. Small wood-frame homes were built, the Sweet Home Missionary Baptist Church was created, and a tight-knit community was formed into the Clarksville neighborhood. Established by former slave Charles Clark, he envisioned the neighborhood as a community where former slaves could reunite with their families and friends, and finally lead their own lives.

Most of the original Clarksville homes are gone and most African American residents have been driven out of the neighborhood by decades of land speculation, gentrification, construction of Mopac and rising property taxes. Owner of this development, Tom Blackwell, realized the value of preserving these three remaining historic structures.

While collaborating with h+uo architects, the team came up with the concept of adding two homes on 10^th and 11^th Streets, fronted by the rehabilitated historic structures. These substantially-sized and complementary homes were built to the rear of the historic homes.

This project successfully balances historic preservation and new custom home development.  Given the small size of the saved units, this is a process that is rarely embraced in West Austin.

Senior Partner, Tom Hatch, is transforming 702 San Antonio Street that is currently occupied by tenants as well as the h+uo office, into boutique hotel, The Murphy Hotel. Named after his beloved canine pet, Murphy, this is a passion project for Hatch.

The Murphy will be a unique, small hotel offering upscale accommodations to local, regional, national and international business travelers and tourists. Just 24 rooms tastefully decorated in simple European style, The Murphy will be downtown Austin’s first small boutique hotel.

Located on 702 San Antonio Street, the hotel will provide scenic views of downtown Austin to be enjoyed over the hotel’s rooftop deck. The Murphy is two blocks from Austin’s lively West 6th Street, and in walking distance to Town Lake, business meetings or dinner and dancing. Guests may also opt for one of the hotel’s bikes or be picked up at the door by a horse-drawn carriage (cars also available).

This new boutique hotel is being designed by h+uo architects and contracted by Bailey Elliott Construction. The Murphy is expected to open its doors to guests in the summer of 2014.